Daily Archives: 11/20/2008

(Community Matters) Had the most baffling breakfast meeting this morning. Met with a group representing an East Austin neighborhood. Here’s a group advocating for philanthropic funding, and one of the four neighborhood advocates – the one who doesn’t even live in the neighborhood – proceeded to malign my friends (major Austin philanthropists), insult me and my involvement in this project, and express frustration that we weren’t funding his organization.

Good thing he left the meeting early. The other three advocates more level-headed and appropriately ambitioned, intent on helping the targeted population rather than any other objective.

Moral of this story for anyone trying to enlist my assistance in fundraising, not helpful to speak ill (especially untruthfully) of my friends, insult me and place your organization’s ambitions top of the list. And, frankly, organizations with leadership so developmentally challenged and entitlement-oriented are not likely to gain my support – really calls into question their choices on leadership. The neighborhood, that’s another story. Still love it. Still interested in helping.

(Community Matters) Can’t believe I’ll miss the East Austin Studio Tour but Steven and I are headed to Houston to see Bob Clyman’s Secret Order at the Alley.

Edward G. Vormann

This tour of East Austin galleries is one of my favorite events each year – over 200 artists at over 150 galleries this year. I highly recommend it.

(Community Matters) It was striking to hear today on NPR that FDR legislatively accomplished his New Deal with only 80ish Republicans in the House and 16 or 18 in the Senate. Gives pause to the range of options for Obama.

(Community Matters) Always a blast to start off a day with Amy Rudy and Liz Watson – as I try to do three days a week, but usually only two. Amy & I take pilates from Liz on Mon, Wed and Fridays.

EF staff – outstanding. Staff retreat at my house today. Turning an approved strategic plan into a working plan with specific measureable deliverables isn’t always easy but we got it done. Plus, plenty of due diligence on a potential new business model, increasing earned income opportunities to at least 1/3 of our operating budget. All while still raising over $1.3mm for other nonprofits, organizing at least 10,000 volunteer hours and facilitating leadership projects bringing together business and social entrepreneurs.

DLA Piper – their annual holiday season event at a very cool place downtown, the Tap Room. Who wasn’t there? Saw so many including Kim Hughes, Tom Ball, Lori Hawkins, David Lack, Tony Plohetski, Bill Bock, Paul Hurdlow, Elisabeth Anderson (just back from maternity leave and looking fantastic), Thom Singer, Custis Hoge, John Gilully, Tommy Daevenport and many, many others.

Barbara Wohlgemuth, she’s back from Cape Cod and we met for dinner to remember Kay Longcope’s on what would have been her 71st birthday. So good to have Barbara back in town.

Still Fountains, stopped in for the run through of Highway Home – they’d just finished Them. Good gosh, can’t believe how far it has come and great seeing the set under construction.